2.1.2 How Did the Normans Maintain Power?

Question 1

Permanent Military (2)

Answer 1

William the Conqueror funded his permanent army of mercenaries using the geld tax. This had 2 effects:
- He had a strong military to stop any potential rebellions
- The tax was mainly paid by the England nobles, so they were financially weaker as the king became financially stronger

Question 2

The Marcher Earldoms (2)

Answer 2

• The Marcher Earldom were a way to protect England against any potential attacks from Wales (which was a separate country then).
• They also weakened the existing English earls, creating more influential people in England who supported William rather than the old English nobility

Question 3

Land and inheritance laws (3)

Answer 3

• Rather than seizing thegns land straight away, which may have caused another revolt, William used inheritance laws to seize control of England.
• When a thegn died, William would take the land and distribute it to his followers, instead of giving it to the thegns’ family.
• This caused a gradual shift in power away from Anglo Saxon nobles and towards Normans and the king.

Question 4

Castles (2)

Answer 4

Castles were important for 2 reasons:
- Castles helped to defend England from foreign invasion. Castles were built in vital strategic locations across England. Places like the border between England and Wales and outside key towns helped defend Norman England against foreign attackers.
- Castles helped to maintain William of Normandy’s control over the local population. Many local earls did not like William. Having a military presence in each town helped to secure the local area and the size of castles was physically intimidating, scaring people away from rebelling.

Question 5

The destruction of the North in maintaining power

Answer 5

The Harrying of the North effectively destroyed a large part of England, making it ‘waste’. Rebels could not even live in the north, let alone organise rebellions against William from there.

Question 6

William I’s image and the cult of personality in maintaining power (2)

Answer 6

• William I used his own personal image as a tool to gain power. Like Hitler and Stalin used the ‘cult of personality’ to grow their power base in the 20th century, William made sure that his image (or likeness) appeared on royal writs, on coins in England
• William also visited different towns across the country and wore his crown frequently, so that people could see his person, likeness and power in real life.

Question 7

6 ways that William I maintained Royal Power:

Answer 7

• The Marcher Earldoms
• Land and inheritance laws
• William I’s image and the cult of personality
• Building castles
• The harrying of the North
• Permanent military